18 States Will See Regulus Swallowed By The Moon Saturday: Exact Times

BreakingInnovationScience18 States Will See Regulus Swallowed By The Moon Saturday: Exact TimesByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorApr 24, 2026, 05:01am EDTToplineOn the evening of Saturday, April 25, skywatchers in 18 eastern U.S. states, as well as in parts of Mexico and northern South America, will have the chance to watch a rare lunar occultation as bright star Regulus disappears behind the moon. During the event, the moon will drift in front of one of the night sky’s most famous stars before it blinks back into view minutes later. A fabulous sight in a pair of binoculars, it will be visible in the early evening. Here’s when, where and how to watch the lunar occultation of Regulus. On Saturday, April 25, a 70%-lit waxing gibbous moon will sit extremely close to Regulus high in the southwestern sky after dark. (Image shows a timelapse of Mars being occulted by the moon in 2022).gettyKey FactsOn Saturday, April 25, a 70%-lit waxing gibbous moon will sit extremely close to Regulus high in the southwestern sky after dark. It will take place between 7:16 and 11:38 p.m. EDT. Parts of eastern North America, Central America and northern South America will see a full occultation. At the same time, some regions will witness a rare grazing occultation as Regulus appears to skip along the edge of the moon. Whether you see a full occultation, a near miss or simply a close conjunction depends entirely on where you are.Parts of six states will see Regulus both disappear and reappear: eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware, eastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina. Parts of 18 states will see Regulus reappear only: New York (southwest tip), New Jersey (southern), Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana (southern), Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tenn...